Farming for Three Meals a Day [Farming Life] 95

Chapter 95: Daily Life Raising Children 1

Days flowed by one after another. The peach blossoms of Shanxiu Village bloomed and withered, the azaleas on the mountain reddened several times, and the rice in the fields swayed in waves with the wind.

A group of children were flying kites, running in the fields. The old water buffalo in the field couldn’t help but lift its head to watch them, and the person plowing called out, “Slow down, you’ll fall!”

Just as he said that, the child running at the back tumbled into the irrigation ditch with a splash.

“Yu-ge’er!”

Little Lei Zi, seeing his younger brother fall, immediately stopped and ran to help him.

Lin Yuxi was stunned from the fall, sitting in the mud for a long time without moving. His clothes were torn, and his fair face was covered in mud.

His bottom also hurt from the fall.

Little Lei Zi saw him pout and frown, about to cry.

“Yu-ge’er, don’t cry, I’ll pull you up!” Little Lei Zi, distressed for his younger brother, jumped into the ditch and pulled Lin Yuxi up.

His younger brother was the most adored little ge’er in the whole village, as fair and delicate as snow, he was very protective of him, and if anyone touched even a finger of Yu-ge’er, Ye Yusheng (Little Lei Zi) would pick up a rock and fight them.

Ye Shan also doted on Yuxi. His own son was a little rascal, but thankfully, Li Ran later gave birth to a daughter, fulfilling his wish for a well-behaved and obedient child, so he let Little Lei Zi play freely. Boys should be mischievous, they were tough and resilient, and besides, Little Lei Zi was also kind and loyal, always fighting to protect his friends, so Ye Shan didn’t scold or discipline him much.

Seeing Yu-ge’er fall, Fuge’er from Li-ge’er’s family also came over, asking anxiously if Lin Yuxi was hurt.

Lin Yuxi’s dark eyes were filled with tears. “The clothes Little Daddy made for me are ruined.” They were new clothes, made of fine cotton.

Fuge’er comforted him tenderly, “Yu-ge’er, don’t worry, Uncle is very gentle, he won’t blame you, we’ll take you home.”

Lin Yuxi, covered in mud, no longer wanted to play, he liked being clean, and he wanted to go home, wash up, and change into new clothes.

Fuge’er and Little Lei Zi accompanied him home.

In the courtyard halfway up the mountain, Ye Xi was drying fermented soybeans under the eaves, good for stir-frying with meat or chili sauce, a flavorful side dish.

He was halfway through when he saw the two dogs, which had been sleeping in the sun, stand up, wag their tails, and go out of the courtyard.

After a while, Little Lei Zi entered the courtyard, followed by Fuge’er.

Ye Xi smiled. “Yusheng and Fuge’er, you’re here? Aren’t you flying kites today?”

Little Lei Zi scratched his head. “Uncle, Yu-ge’er fell in the field.”

“Oh dear!” Ye Xi quickly put down his work and saw the distressed Lin Yuxi at the door, the little rice ball now covered in mud, like a black sesame ball.

Fuge’er, holding Yuxi’s hand, said, “Yu-ge’er’s clothes are torn, and his hand is also scratched.”

Lin Yuxi held onto the mud stains on his clothes, his lips pouting, looking pitiful.

Little Lei Zi, afraid that Ye Xi would scold Yuxi, quickly took the blame. “I didn’t watch over him properly, and he fell into the ditch, Uncle, please don’t scold him.”

Ye Xi chuckled. “Why would I scold him? It’s just clothes, his father will be heartbroken when he comes back.”

Ye Xi and Lin Jiangshan doted on Lin Yuxi, he was the apple of their eye, and even a small scratch would make Lin Jiangshan worry.

Seeing that Ye Xi wasn’t angry, Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er were relieved.

Ye Xi took Yuxi inside to wash and change. When he came back out, he saw Little Lei Zi playing with the cat and dogs, and Fuge’er feeding the fawn with radish. He smiled and asked, “Have you run around all afternoon and gotten hungry?”

Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er looked at each other and nodded, knowing that Uncle’s cooking was delicious, and she was always generous with food.

Ye Xi tossed the dirty clothes into a basin and clapped his hands. “Alright, Uncle will make you sweet red bean soup with rice cakes, go and watch over your little brother in the main room for me.”

Excited about the treat, Little Lei Zi and Fuge’er ran to the main room, where a chubby baby lay in a bamboo cradle, not yet teething.

This was Ye Xi’s younger son, Lin Yuli, not yet ten months old.

Little Lei Zi, Fuge’er, and Yu-ge’er surrounded the baby.

“Why is he drooling? My little sister also drools, but my father is always happy, saying it’s fragrant,” Little Lei Zi said.

Fuge’er said, “My little brother also drools, and he wets the bed at night, but my father says it’s fragrant too, as long as it’s my sister.”

Little Lei Zi said, “Your father is lying to you, it’s smelly when she wets the bed, and she always cries.”

Yuli, unable to understand their words, was just happy to be surrounded by people, kicking his legs, waving his arms, and opening his mouth.

Lin Yuxi, seeing this, offered his finger for Yuli to suck on, and said tenderly, “My daddy doesn’t want a little sister, he told Little Daddy last night, no more babies, he has me and my brother, that’s enough.”

The three children chattered as Yuli sucked on Lin Yuxi’s finger until it was wet, and Ye Xi came with bowls of food.

“Look, he’s drooling again.” Ye Xi smiled, wiping his son’s hand with a cloth, while Yuli continued to drool.

Lin Yuxi was eager for his little brother to grow up so they could play together. “Little Daddy, when will my brother be able to walk?”

Ye Xi replied, “When the wheat in the fields ripens again, and the winter snow falls again, your brother will be running around and playing with you.”

He served them bowls of sweet red bean soup.

The red bean soup was thick and creamy, the red beans simmered with glutinous rice water and rock sugar until soft and mushy, then mashed, creating a thick, sweet soup. The rice cakes were pan-fried until golden and crispy, and when dipped in the sweet red bean soup, they were chewy, soft, and fragrant.

Little Lei Zi smacked his lips. “Uncle, when Li Di grows up, I’ll pick red oranges and sweet potatoes for him from the mountain.”

[Translator’s Note:  “Di” means “younger brother,” often used to refer to a younger boy or baby boy in a warm, familial way.]

Fuge’er quickly added, “I’ll bring him the fried snacks Little Daddy makes, with chili and salt, they’re delicious!”

Ye Xi, sitting on a small stool, watched the children, a gentle smile on his lips. “Alright, Uncle will give Little Brother more goat milk, so he’ll grow up quickly.”

After they finished their red bean soup, Li Ran arrived, carrying her daughter, looking for Little Lei Zi.

“Ye Yusheng, did you shoot at Er Niu’s window with your slingshot?!”

Little Lei Zi, seeing his mother, quickly put down his bowl and ran. “They started it! And they pushed Yu-ge’er! I’ll do it again next time!”

“You!” Li Ran was so angry she wanted to hit him with a bamboo stick. “I’ve truly given birth to a little devil!”

They chased each other around the courtyard, Ye Xi watching them with amusement, neither persuading nor stopping them, the mother and son turning the courtyard upside down, even the fawn and goat joining in the fun.

And then, Li-ge’er also came, calling out before even entering the courtyard, “Fuge’er, it’s dinner time, and I can’t even call you home! You’re always at Uncle Lin’s house!”

Fuge’er sniffed. “Uncle’s cooking is delicious, unlike yours, Daddy, always burning the rice, even the pancakes this morning were burnt on one side, and my father still ate several of them!”

Children’s innocent words. Li-ge’er, embarrassed by his son’s revelation, coughed and said, “You little liar, come home for dinner.”

Fuge’er stuck out his tongue. “I’m not lying.”

Ye Xi smiled helplessly. “I made sweet red bean soup for them, Li-ge’er, would you like a bowl too?”

Li-ge’er had known Ye Xi for over a decade, and he didn’t bother with pretense. “Sure, I’ll have a bowl. You know, the child I gave birth to is just like me, I always came to your house for food when I was young, and now he’s always here too.”

Ye Xi went to the kitchen to get more soup, smiling. “It’s thanks to these children that our courtyard is so lively.”

“Yes, now that we all have children, we just have to watch over them and enjoy their company, life is simple and peaceful like this,” Li-ge’er said, rocking in the chair in the courtyard.

Ye Xi brought out the red bean soup and also fried some sweet rice cakes for the children, watching them play in the courtyard, the wind rustling the leaves of the Chinese scholar tree in the corner, a tree full of red leaves.

The afternoon was leisurely, and he brewed some tea and prepared some snacks. Li Ran, Ye Xi, and Li-ge’er sat in the warm sun, chatting and sewing.

“Is Zhang’s daughter getting married? I heard from Mrs. Zhang that she’s inviting us to prepare the bridal chamber and bring good luck, she said we’re all blessed and our lives are getting better.”

“Yes, we’ll go together then, Sister-in-law Ran’s family expanded their fishpond by two more acres, they’re becoming the biggest fish farmers in the area.”

“And your family is doing just as well, Li Xi’s pork stall has moved to the main street, even the restaurants are buying from him.”

“And Xi-ge’er’s husband is so capable, they bought a few more acres of land by the riverbank, even hiring people to work the fields, living like a little landowner.”

Ye Xi smiled. “Stop teasing me, it’s good that our lives are improving, we’re all here in the village, taking care of our husbands and children, enjoying our simple meals, that’s life.”

“I’ll never tire of this life.”

As the sun set behind the mountain, the men returned home along the mountain path.

Ye Xi looked up and smiled at the children. “Your daddies are back.”

The children cheered and ran towards the gate.

“Daddy’s back!”